SCAANSouth Palm Beach County Integroup AA Newsletter

Serving A.A. Groups in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Highland Beach & Lantana

Volume 35, Issue 10

Articles: 1, 2 & 7

New Events: 2

Group Contributions: 2

Profit Loss: 6

Intergroup Activity Log: 5

Integroup Minutes: 8&9Step 8: How Willing Would You

24hr Helpline: (561) 276-4581

southcountyaa@comcast.netaainpalmbeach.org

While flying from Philadelphia toKey West, I had to call on the

Tenth Step to make my three hour flight a happy and pleasant one instead of an angry and miserable one. After boarding the plane, I sat comfortably in my win-dow seat with my well-packed, carry-on luggage arranged strategically at my feet

for maximum leg stretch.

I prayed and meditated on how wonder-ful it is to be a sober woman in flight. I

was organized and on time. What a gift! Then a woman sat next to me in the cen-ter seat. And what does she proceed to

do? She orients her body in my direc-tion and crosses her legs right into my personal leg space. Unbelievable. My tiny bit of foot territory was invaded by her feet. I quickly gave her the look. No response. Then I gave her the look and breathed heavily. Again, no re-sponse. I shifted in my seat and glared

at her feet. Still no response. Rats!

I didn’t know what to do now. I won-dered what other people would do.

Probably someone else would ask her politely to move her feet. So I played that scenario out in my head and I imagined her saying, “No, to hell with you.” What would I do then, take her

by the throat? As I mulled this in my mind, she stretched her legs and put her feet right on top of my carry-on bag, totally oblivious to the fact that

she was being completely rude.

And that bag she put her feet onwas not even mine, it was my sis-

ter’s brown houndstooth bag that I had borrowed. So finally, I threw a small tantrum. I grabbed my bag and jerked it to the other side of the seat, all the while twitching and snorting at my in-considerate neighbor. She did not even flinch. Her feet remained elevated in the same space in front of me and her body was as relaxed as could be as she

Page | 1

Content

Turbulence

“Our groups ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees

directly responsible to those they serve.”

Steps & TraditionsStep 10:

Tradition

10:

“Continued to take personal inventory an when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.”

Continued on next page

gazed at her book, unaffected by my huffy behavior. Oh, I was fuming. Smoke was coming out of my ears. I was so angry and resentful. I just wanted to smack her while shov-ing her feet right over into her foot

space.

Of course, I didn’t do that. Eventhough I am much more aware

of my feelings in recovery, I am still amazed at how quickly my emotions had shifted from peace and serenity to anger and resentment. In the snap of a finger, I can still be miserable. I knew I could sit there in these emo-tions...or I could change them. And since I am a member of AA and I’ve gone through the Steps, I knew what to do. And I did it—Step Ten. I asked my Higher Power to remove my an-ger and resentmentand to put some-

one in my path I could help.

And like that, I knew the personthat I needed to help was this

woman sitting next to me. I had act-ed poorly and I needed to make it right, no matter her behavior. Sud-

denly, I noticed she was shivering. “Are you OK?” I asked. “I’m freezing,” she said. “I’ll get a blanket from the flight attendant,” I said and asked if she would like me to lower my win-dow shade (and I hate lowering my window shade). “No,” she said. “Leave the shade open. The sun feels good. And here comes the attendant with some coffee. That will be perfect.” We both ordered hot coffee and she pro-ceeded to tell me that her father had passed away recently. That she and her husband were going to Key West for a

much-needed vacation.

I immediately felt an emotional shift back to peace and serenity. She and

I talked for more than an hour after that about connections in our lives: aging parents, teaching children with special needs and spirituality. It was such a beautiful conversation, and when I looked down at the floor I no-ticed her feet never came back into my

foot space. – Karen S.

Newtown, Pennsylvania

Page | 2

October 4-6Area 15 Quarterly Assembly

Boca Raton Marriott at Boca CenterReference: South Florida General Service Conference

October 12Free Annual Early Timers Meeting

Nova Southeastern University, 5:30 – 8:30pmpeakers with at least 25 years of recovery!

3200 South University Dr, Davie, FL (Terry Bldg Café and Steele Auditorium)

October 13District 8 Business Mtg

Sunday, 4pm, Triangle Club New GSR Orientation GSR/DCM Sharing

4:40pm Reports, New Business Motions, Elections

October 19Serenity Scramble Golf

Tournament

October 21SPBC Intergroup Steering Committee Mtg

Monday, 5:30pm SPBCI Office

October 30SPBC Intergroup Monthly Business MtgWednesday, 7pm Delray Central House

November 16Gratitude Dinner

July 2-5, 20202020 International Convention

Detroit, Michigan

AA Events & Service Meetings

Page | 3

The Big Book offers an array of promises associatedwith each of the Twelve Steps, but for me, the re-

wards starting on the bottom of page 84 and continuing throughout that paragraph are, by far, the

most vibrant and exciting. These are my favorites:

“And we have ceased fighting anything orany – even alcohol.”

When I am living in the spirit of the Step Ten directions and resolutely turning my thoughts to someone I can

help, I become much less reactionary with those who disagree with me. Being right takes a back seat to developing a continu-

ing friendly relationship. The first shot is not fired because the battle never begins.

“For by this time sanity will have returned.”

I feel as though the word ‘sanity’ overflows from the first promise; if I am unable to differentiate the true from the false

in the matter of drink, I am indeed suffering from alcoholic insanity. However, if I can see and act on the obvious truth in the matter of that next drink, I am living in a sane manner. The Big Book often uses the expression of insanity interchangeably with the phrase, ‘mental obsession.’ Jim’s Story (p. 37) is case

in point.

“If tempted, we recoil as from a hot flame”

During my first sober year or so, drinking thoughts wouldspawn deep-seated horror. If I would, as is often suggest-

ed, think the drink through, the dismal memory of those hor-rible hallucinations coming on, the music exuding from the walls, and the jail door slamming shut filled me with terror. The dread of being fired, once again, would come on strongly. But as time passed, I learned to stymie these unpleasant thoughts before they become solidified. I believe I have developed a re-

verse Pavlov in the matter of drink.

“It just comes! That is the miracle of it.”

This miracle happened for me! Thoughts of drinking nolonger exists in my emotional vocabulary. This marvelous

“release” took place in my second year of sobriety and I have not been plagued by the mental obsession since—

!

“Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for us.”

These two phrases probably represent the most importantsingle promise in the Big Book: a release from the insan-

ity of taking that first alcoholic drink! Of course, this exciting promise is obviously concerning the mental obsession before the first drink. I will never be an ex-alcoholic—just one shot and I am shot! We are not told that the problem (obsession) has been eradicated, destroyed or beamed to outer space. It simply promises that it has been removed. That Obsession/Allergy will forever lurk, just waiting for me to fall below a fit

spiritual condition.

“That is how we react so long as we remain in a fit spiritual condition.”

I have found that living in the spirit of “Maintenance” Steps Ten, Eleven and Twelve, to the best of my ability, I have re-

mained close enough to a fit spiritual condition that I haven’t had to drink since my very first meeting in 1975.

-Bob S.

10th Step Promises

Page | 4

Delray Central House Group D, OTuesdays through Sundays at 10am,

2174 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach 33445----------------------------------------------------

Sobriety for Breakfast B, D, OThursdays at 7am

Boca Pines Club (Unit 5)----------------------------------------------------

Sobriety for Breakfast 12X12, OWednesdays at 7am

Boca Pines Club (Unit 5)----------------------------------------------------

Drunks Like Us O, SThursdays at 7pm

St. Paul Lutheran Church (Classroom 5)701 W. Palmetto Park Rd, Boca Raton, FL

Thomas K. – Just Before DawnLi J. – Women with a SolutionMax M. (Alt) – The Hour of PowerAndrew H. – Boca MensTyler G. – Principles in PracticeMeghan B. (Alt) – Living Sober Women

Welcome New Intergroup Reps!

New Meetings & Group Changes

DINNER, FELLOWSHIP & DOUBLE-SPEAKERSATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2019, 5:30PM

Location: Elk’s Lodge 265 NE 4th Ave PRICE: $30 Delray Beach, FL 33483 Food: Italian Dinner; Vegetarian Options

Drinks: Soda & Bottled Water: $1 (Coffee & Water: Free) Funds: 50%: Intergroup Office 20%: Area

20%: District-8 10%: World Service�������������� �������������������������������������� ����!���"#"�"$##���%������%���"!"������!$#�

�#&�#� '��()�

“The struggle ends when gratitude begins”

South Palm Beach CountyGRATITUDE DINNER

Attitude of Gratitude

South Palm Beach County Intergroup sponsors an Alcathon during the holiday season with meetings every two hours at Delray Central House. The first event begins at 11 a.m. on December 24 and ends at 11 p.m. on December 25. The next event begins at 11:00 a.m. on December 31 and

ends at 11p.m. on January 1 (for a total of 36 meetings).Each facilitating group is responsible for two hours of service: chairing

a one-hour meeting in a format of their choice and a one-hour fellowship the meeting. We ask each group to bring refreshments

to share (determined by the Group Conscience of each participating group).

Alcathon Is On Its Way!

14th Annual

Serenity Scramble

Golf Tournament

$75 golfer

Recovery

Unity

ServiceAA

When: Saturday-October 19, 2019What time: 9:00AM Shotgun StartWhere: Westchester Country Club

All proceeds go directly to SPBCISponsor a hole! $100 each Sign up for a foursome! Not a golfer? Come for lunch!

nual

f ment

golfer

When: Saturday-October 19, 2019What time: 9:00AM Shotgun StartWhere: Westchester Country Club

All proceeds go directly to SPBCISponsor a hole! $100 each Sign up for a foursome! Not a golfer? Come for lunch! $10,000Sc

ore a

hole-in-one on hole #2

�All par 3 holeshave a prize!

Page | 5

12-Step Calls 12First Call to AA 12Meeting Inquiries 96 Business Inquiries 83Walk-Ins 218QB Sales Receipts 253After Hours 12-Step 127 Relay CallsWebsite Pageviews 19,096

Intergroup Activity

Thank You Volunteers

Calls for help answered 24/7 by AA groups taking turns answering the forwarded calls

on nights and weekends.

October: Spiritual AwakeningsNovember: No Matter What

December: Open

Jason P.Marianne D.Kelly B

Amanda L.Steve M.Gary W.Katie M.Bob W.

Baily B.Ramona L.John M. George S.Dennis B.

Telephone Relay

Jeff E. Boca Boyz

September 17, 2007 12 Years

Many A.A. members celebrate their birthday by sending a contri-bution of one or two dollars for each year of sobriety to Intergroup. If you would like to carry on this tradition, please fill out the form

and send with check to: SPBCI, 2905 S. Federal Hwy., Ste. C-15, Delray Beach, FL 33483

Jim M. We Are Not Saints

September 10, 1994 25 Years

Congratulations & Thank You Birthday Celebrants

Become a Faithful Fiver

These are challenging economic times and calls forhelp with alcoholism have increased. South Palm

Beach County Intergroup is at the front lines, answering those calls and providing much needed support.

Intergroup is looking for YOU to help close the gap. Bybecoming a Faithful Fiver, you can express your appre-

ciation for the help you’ve received from AA Intergroup by pledging long-term, monthly support. Your tax-de-

ductible contribution of $5 or more per month will help make our vital services possible and will help carry the AA message to those who still suffer. Please visit aain-

palmbeach.org/contribute to set up your monthly donation.

A special to our recent Faithful Fivers:

Jason P. and Bill D.!

Page | 6

South Palm Beach County Intergroup Profit Loss August 2019

Aug 19 Jan - Aug 19 Aug 19 Jan - Aug 19Ordinary Income/Expense Expense

Income Annual Report Fee 0 70Bank Credits 0 358 Bank Service Charges 15 120Cash Discounts 0 63 Business Hotel/Meals/travel expCC Sales Fee Reimbursement 0 0 Mileage Reimbursement 0 134Contribution-Non Group 0 538 Total Business Hotel/Meals/travel exp 0 134Misc Income 0 191 Fees Credit Cards 136 1,384

Anonymous 124 458 Fund Raising Expenses 0Birthday Club 147 365 2019 Picnic Expense 0 978Faithful Fivers 0 0 Total Fund Raising Expenses 0 978Florida Roundup 0 0 Insurance

Total Contribution-Non Group 271 1,014 Employee Insurance 0 1,523Total Group Contribution Income 4,363 33,936 Liability Insurance 102 813Fund Raising Income Total Insurance 102 2,336

2019 Picnic Raffle 0 1,038 Inventory Adjustment (246) 1,0152019 Picnic Ticket 0 3,760 Payroll Expenses 5,662 33,389Alcathon Income 0 1,050 Postage and Delivery 0 892018 Holiday Open House 29 591 Printing and Reproduction

Total Fund Raising Income 29 6,439 Photocopy Expenses(Not SCAAN) 0 319Sales SCAAN 162 1,323

AAWS Books 3,828 27,759 Total Printing and Reproduction 162 1,642AAWS Other 2 163 Professional FeesAAWS Pamphlets 65 634 Accounting 0 0Chips 1,103 3,000 Computer Technology 0 1,521Demdaco Gift Items 26 31 Total Professional Fees 0 1,521Gift Items 147 2,339 Program & Committee ExpensesGrapevine Books 131 1,297 191 191Grapevine Other Material 13 64 Total Program & Committee Expenses 191 191Hazelden Books 372 2,270 Reconciliation Discrepancies (1) 100Medallions 1,755 12,400 Rent 1,526 12,213Sale of Books 54 255 Storage 0 500Where & When 330 2,162 Supplies

Total Sales 7,826 52,374 Commissary 0 435Total Income 12,489 94,722 Computer Software & Supplies 0 1,436Cost of Goods Sold Office Supplies 162 1,588

AAWS Books 2,864 21,472 Total Supplies 162 3,459AAWS Other 1 145 Telephone 252 2,862AAWS Pamphlets 37 365 UtilitiesBooks Purchases 27 163 Electric 240 1,545Chips Purchased 614 1,723 Total Utilities 240 1,545Cost of Goods Sold 220 590 Total Expense 8,201 63,548Demdaco Gift Items 11 11 (645) (3,023)Gift Items 79 1,290 Net Ordinary Income (645) (3,023)Grapevine Books 104 968Grapevine Other 0 246Hazelden Books 191 1,199Medallions Purchases 535 4,009Other Purchases 0 125Shipping & Handling Purchases 37 451Vendor Discounts Purchases 0 16Where & Whens 213 1,424

Total COGS 4,933 34,1977,556 60,525

“One day at a time”

Profit Loss

Page | 6

$9,146 Accounts Receivable ($330) Fixed Assets$28,000 Inventory Asset $27,080 Other Asset/Rent Dep

$150 Other Current Assets $498 TOTAL OTHER ASSETS

Operating ActPrudent Reserve ActPetty CashTOTAL CASH $37,296 TOTAL NONCASH ASSETS $27,248 TOTAL ASSETS $72,046

$4,733$2,769$7,502

Financials

Page | 7

GROUP NAME(S) Aug YTD 2019 GROUP NAME(S) Aug YTD 2019 GROUP NAME(S) Aug YTD 2019

1-2-3 Step, Boca 0.00 0.00 Inside Out Group 0.00 0.00 Sober Sunset Group, Boca Pines 0.00 1,400.00

7 AM 12 & 12 Group 0.00 82.00 Intergroup Meeting 130.26 457.00 Sobriety For Breakfast, W Boca 0.00 0.00

AA History Group 0.00 0.00 Just Before Dawn 0.00 1,231.45 Sobriety In The Wind, Delray 0.00 245.30

AA Oldtimers Group 0.00 0.00 Just For Now, Boca 0.00 1,148.25 SOS, Boca 0.00 500.00

Acceptance is the Answer, Delray 0.00 2.00 Language Of The Heart, Delray 0.00 200.00 Special Needs Meeting - Hearing 0.00 0.00

All Aboard 0.00 0.00 Lantana Group 0.00 51.81 Spiritual Awakenings, Boca 295.00 762.00

Beach Bums 0.00 0.00 Let's Do Lunch, Boca 0.00 24.00 Step Aboard All Traditions 0.00 45.00

Big Book Adventure, Boca 0.00 97.51 Living Sober Women, Delray 202.14 202.14 Step into the Solution, Boca 0.00 420.00

Big Book Step Study 0.00 35.00 Lunch Bunch, Boca 0.00 340.00 Steps & Traditions, Boca Pines 129.00 128.00

Boca Boyz, West Boca 0.00 0.00 Men On-Track, Boca 0.00 553.00 Steps & Traditions, St Joan of Arc 0.00 107.21

Boca Men's Recovery 250.00 250.00 Men With Solutions, Delray 0.00 275.00 Sunday Men's Roving BB, Delray 0.00 65.00

Boca Men's, Boca 0.00 663.47 Mens Step Into The Big Book 0.00 0.00 Sunday Night Speaker - Boca 100.00 200.00

Boca Steps & Traditions 0.00 191.75 Midday Miracles, Delray 250.00 250.00 Sunday Serenity Group 150.00 300.00

Boca Women's Group 0.00 240.34 Morning Medicine, Boca 0.00 750.00 Sunrise Beach Meeting, Delray 0.00 3,000.00

Boynton Beach Beginners 500.00 1,000.00 New Life Group 0.00 0.00 Thank God I'm Sober 0.00 0.00

Boynton Beach Group, Boynton 726.15 1,547.15 New Life II 0.00 813.00 TGIF, Delray 0.00 100.00

Boynton Boat Ramp Group 0.00 0.00 No Matter What Group 0.00 175.00 Too Young to Be Glum 0.00 0.00

Cardinal Lane, Lantana 0.00 378.45 North Boca Steps & Traditions 0.00 0.00 Tradition Three Group 0.00 0.00

Carry The Message 0.00 200.00 North Delray Steps & Traditions 0.00 119.00 Tuesday Men's Solution 0.00 321.50

Cheer Up @1013 0.00 232.50 One Day At A Time, Delray 0.00 1,800.00 We Believers, Boca 0.00 293.77

Daily Grace 0.00 0.00 Open Your Heart, Delray 0.00 200.00 Wed. Morning 11th Step Group 0.00 0.00

Delray 11th Step Meditation Grp 0.00 0.00 One Page at a Time, Delray Beach 0.00 122.50 Wed Night Beginners W Boca 0.00 200.00

Delray Central House -39.90 -119.70 Paul Revere Group 0.00 0.00 Welcome Home in Delray 0.00 437.00

Delray Step & Tradition 0.00 81.07 People With Time 215.00 215.00 West Boca Beginners 0.00 370.00

Depression and the Alcoholic 0.00 38.17 Priciples n Practice 0.00 0.00 West Boca Big Book Group 0.00 150.00

Divas at 830 AM 0.00 900.00 Promises, Lambda North 0.00 0.00 West Boca Friendship Group 0.00 50.00

Divas at Night 0.00 0.00 Queen & Sober 0.00 0.00 West Boynton Group 0.00 429.00

Double Digit Gang, Delray 0.00 295.50 Road To Recovery, Boca 0.00 0.00 Westside Group, Delray 0.00 0.00

Downtown Delray Group 0.00 704.00 Romance & Finance, W Boca 0.00 175.00 Wine Into Water, Delray 0.00 200.00

Downtown, Boynton 0.00 0.00 Safe Haven 0.00 225.00 Women's Piece of Mind, Boca 0.00 120.00

Drunk Squad 0.00 456.19 Safe Harbor, Boynton 100.00 200.00 Women in Recovery, Boca 100.00 150.00

East Delray Men's Group 0.00 394.00 Saturday Night Live @ Five, Boca 24.00 525.00 Women Living Sober, Boca 150.00 225.00

Eastside Women's Group 0.00 0.00 Second Chance Women, Delray 0.00 50.00 Women With a Solution 0.00 0.00

Experience, Strength & Hope, BB 0.00 77.00 Seniors In Sobriety,Delray 0.00 200.00 Women's BBSS , Delray 82.47 82.47

Five Time Losers Delray 0.00 0.00 Serenity @ Noon 0.00 1,250.00 Women's BBS, Boca 0.00 75.39

Freedon from Alcohol 50.00 191.26 Serenity Hour, Delray 0.00 1,500.00 Young at Heart, Delray 0.00 0.00

Fri Night Special/Sat.Eve Post 269.50 629.50 Serenity on the Beach, Lantana 0.00 900.00 Other 0.00 152.30

Happy Hour, Boca 0.00 207.53 Sober Sisters Boca 679.94 679.94 Total Group Contributions 4,363.56 33,935.72

GROUP CONTRIBUTIONS: August and Year-to-Date 2019

Group Contributions

Page | 8

Integroup Business Meeting Minutes

Page | 9

Integroup Business Meeting Minutes [ ont ]

•

•••••

oo

•

Page | 10

Our monthly newsletter is available online on our website. You can now subscribe to get it delivered each month to your inbox by holding down CRTL and . You

can also sign up on aainpalmbeach.org... Click “Newsletter” tab and then the green sign-up button.

South Palm Beach County Intergroup2905 South Federal Highway, Suite C-15

Delray Beach, FL 33483

General Service District 8 P.O. Box 13

West Palm Beach, FL 33402For General Service District 8 contributions

payable to: General Service District 8.

Area 15 Treasurer Panel 69PO Box 1784

Pompano Beach, FL 33061For General Service Area 15 contributions

payable to: General Service Area 15.

General Service OfficePO Box 459, Grand CentralStation New York, NY 10163

Please write your group’s name on the check to Intergroup

7th Tradition Support Addresses